Decision Made for Kyle Tucker and Freddie Freeman's Expected Lineup Spots

There were two primary questions the Los Angeles Dodgers faced after signing Kyle Tucker to a record-setting four-year, $240 million contract.

The first was which position he would play, though the likely outcome proved true and was confirmed by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts during Tucker's introductory press conference. The four-time All-Star would remain in right field and the Dodgers were moving Teoscar Hernández back to left field.

With that settled, the only question involving Tucker was where he would hit in the Dodgers lineup. Such a decision impacted Freddie Freeman as well. The two played together for the first time on Tuesday, with Tucker batting second and Freeman in the cleanup spot of the Dodgers lineup.

It was an indication of what's to come during the regular season.

"You know, most likely," Roberts told Kirsten Watson on the SportsNet LA broadcast after the Dodgers' 11-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. "I wanted to kind of see where we're at. I do like Kyle in the No. 2. He's an on-base guy; he's left-handed, right-handed agnostic.

"And then Freddie and Will, for me, are two of our best run producers. So to see them in the four and five, I like that. They should be hitting with guys on base all year. So we'll see, but I think we can get used to that."

Tucker, who was playing in his second Cactus League game of the year, went 0-for-2 with two runs scored and two walks.

Freeman went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two-run double in his 2026 Spring Training debut.

Projected top half of Dodgers lineup

Amid some of the lineup uncertainty were three quick decisions Roberts came to. Shohei Ohtani was going to remain the Dodgers' leadoff hitter, Mookie Betts is poised to bat third and Will Smith fifth.

"I do feel great about having Shohei lead off. I do feel great about having Will in the five. And then after that, I’m going to kind of read and react,” Roberts said during DodgerFest.

“But kind of the handedness, you certainly see Mookie in the three. But I’m kind of going to see how it goes as we get to spring.”

Then as the Dodgers were approaching the start of their Spring Training schedule, Roberts confirmed Betts is going to bat third.

With all of that now pieced together, the Dodgers lineup order for their top five hitters appears set at Ohtani, Tucker, Betts, Freeman and Smith.

Ohtani, Freeman and Tucker were three of the top five left-handed hitters against left-handed pitching last season. Ohtani had a 146 wRC+ in such at-bats, with Freeman posting a 136 wRC+ and Tucker having a 134 wRC+.

Thus, there seemingly wasn't any wrong decision when it came to determining whether Tucker or Freeman would bat after Ohtani even though it would amount to stacking lefties at the top of the lineup. One separator is Tucker's youth and foot speed offers more of a running threat than Freeman.